BGleas

Great article, really interesting look on what it takes to make it in the NBA. Great example with Nigel Williams-Goss as a guy who is probably a better pure basketball than maybe 10% of the NBA, if not more, but the issue isn’t talent, it’s role. There’s no role for him on a team. The article doesn’t mention him, but Jimmer Ferdette recently talked about not making it in the NBA. Fredette is certainly an extremely talented basketball player. He’s probably better than say Yogi, but Yogi has learned/can play off the ball in an offense. Jimmer couldn’t adjust to playing off the ball, and while he’s a heck of an offensive player with the ball in his hands, you’re not handing your offense to him, so he’s not in the league. All of the guys mentioned above (Williams-Goss, Fredette, Yogi, and more) are probably way more talented than Andre Roberson. The difference is Roberson has prototypical NBA wing size and is perfectly happy playing defense and rebounding, and hardly ever shooting, so he’s a starter on a play-off team and two of the three guys mentioned above aren’t even in the league. Really interesting stuff IMO.

Wait, they’ve been offered? Hadn’t heard.

TJD, Brooks and Newman are I’m sure welcome to commit now if they want.

That's a good one too!

Saw that too, wanted to get it in before he officially declared (hopefully).

Absolutely, you have to be able to shoot and handle. My post was more just a general comment, not advocating for Morgan being ready for the NBA.

Without putting much thought to it, I’d say the Huerter kid from Maryland. Imagine he and Langford on the wings with Smith and Morgan at the forward spots, we’d be unguardable.

I think there are a lot of guys playing PF (if that’s even really thing anymore) at that size. I’m watching the WCF right now and the tallest guy on the court for either team is Kevin Durant. I really he’s about 6’11” but he’s basically a shooting guard. Houston’s tallest guy the last 7-8 minutes of the half was Trevor Ariza.

I’m not sure. Like I said, the rules probably changed from 20 years ago, but when I played the coaches were not allowed in the gym if the team was playing pickup in the Fall/Spring. They were “voluntary” sessions technically, but the coach could not be in the gym with us playing. His office was right down the hall and he’d make up reasons to walk through each day and take a quasi attendance, but otherwise he couldn’t be in there or film them. We were allowed to have small group sessions in the Spring and Fall with the coach, but not team workouts. He would ask various players who was playing well, who wasn’t, etc. every day, but he couldn’t watch Again, the rules may have, and probably most likely have, changed.

Absolutely appreciate the info, and not trying to give you a hard time. Yes, these open gyms do happen all time, probably almost daily, and I’m doubting the info at all that many of the freshmen have been there for some runs with the team. I do doubt that there was any time of “walk through” that involved an actual lineup or the coaching staff. If there was, it was probably player driven just to teach some of the newer guys a set or two for the open gym. Unless the rules have changed, which is entirely possible as it’s been 20 years since I played, the coaches are not allowed in the gym for these open gym/pick up game sessions.

Not sure why there would be a walk through in May, or if it’s even within the rules for the coaches to be involved with something like that with the entire team this time of year? Not trying to give the poster a hard time, just seems unlikely. If it did happen, I fall into the category that doubts we start three freshmen, especially all in the backcourt, and also not sure if a walkthrough in May would really be any inidication of what the lineup might be in October/Nov.

Yeah, Fitzner is going to play. Might be 15 minutes, might be 20 minutes, but he didn't come here to sit the bench.

Some things on these workouts. They are much more important than the combine, so I’ll agree with RealIU there, in that Juwan having a bunch of workouts is good news for him as it’s a real chance to get face time with these organizations, get noticed and get feedback. It’s one of the best ways to get a summer league invite, etc. With that said, teams usually have 4-6 guys per workout. I believe there’s a limit but can’t remember the number. Typically teams have 2-3 guys they’re serious about drafting or at least learning more about up close in each workout, then the other 3-4 guys are filler to make it a complete workout. If you’re one of the filler guys, it doesn’t mean they don’t care or aren’t watching you, or that it’s not an opportunity for you to get noticed, it’s just that you were mostly invited to round out the workout. I’m also not suggesting the teams call them up and actually say, “hey we need some fillers, want to swing by and workout?” My guess is that Juwan is mostly a filler guy in these workouts. Again, not a bad thing for him at all, and it doesn’t mean he can’t draw some eye balls, get great feedback, or even get a summer league invite out of it, etc.

Completely agree, just wanted to hear where RealIU was on it or what he’s has to say on it.

Curious what his NBA option is? He's not getting drafted and I doubt he'd get a 2-way contract. Teams want to get a closer look at tons of players that will never sniff the NBA.

I don’t see any reason this kid can’t have a season similar to what Max B has his year at IU.

It has backfired on some coaches, but that also doesn't mean it's a good policy.

I still hate that they allow college coaches to coach these camps/teams filled with the top recruits in the country.

Yes, there are outlier teams that still play traditional bigs, but they’re much less common. I’m watching the NBA playoffs and I’m not sure there’s a single traditional, post-up big on any team still playing. Look at the Final Four, I think Kansas was the only team with a traditional big and Villanova exploited the heck out him with Spellman playing the perimeter bombing threes. Kansas’ big couldn’t get out on him and Spellman exploited it so much I don’t think Davis, even pre-injury, is good enough to warrant Archie changing the system. Davis and Morgan also just aren’t a good match, unless Morgan can significantly increase his 3-pt percentage. Morgan is best when operating in the paint, and having Davis there clogs everything for him.

There is absolutely no reason Fitzner can’t contribute very similar to what Max contributed his year. Fitzner comes more proven than Max with better numbers in his career. I don’t see anyone saying Fitzner will be a star or even a starter, but a very important piece of the team, just like Max was. No reason he can’t play 17-20 minutes and average close to 8 and 4.

I have seen very few people, if any, say he's going to start. A lot of us are saying he's going to play ahead of Davis, yes, but for most us this is coming from a group that wouldn't have Davis in our starting lineup anyways. We think he'll be the backup 5 ahead of Davis. I expect Fitzner to play somewhere around 15-20mpg, probably netting out around 18. I expect him to play a very similar role to Max Beilfeldt the year he was here, and despite what many think Fitzner actually comes to IU way more proven than Bielfeldt was. Max took about 60 3's his first three years at Michigan shooting about 28%. Fitzner has taken over 300 in his three years at St. Mary's making over 40%. Max was on a team that played in big games, but he didn't play much at all. As a freshmen at St. Mary's Fitzner started, averaging 23.5mpg, 8.7ppg on 46.8% from the field and 41% from 3, to go along with 4.4rpg. From what I've gathered the main reason his role reduced is because St. Mary's switched systems and he had an upperclassmen big ahead of him.

I would argue that McRoberts is more important to next years team than he was to last years team. McRoberts is a tremendous defender, so I'd be hard pressed to find someone who will fill that role to his ability. McRoberts will be great for Langford. He'll take so much defensive pressure off of Romeo. Offensively, I agree that he has to start taking the open shots. He can't pass on as many as he did last season. With that said, he was not an offensive liability. There is a lot of value, and there will be even more next season, to his ball movement, people movement, and ability to grab offensive rebounds and keep possessions alive with tip backs, etc.

I just don't see how Davis fits into too many systems in 2018. The game is changing. You need five guys on the court that are skilled, athletic players that can space the floor and attack the rim. Gone are the days, for the most part, where you ride a slow, plodding, below the rim center and slow the game down to pound it inside. That's just not how basketball is played anymore. Defensively bigs in 2018 need to be able to switch onto guards, defend the pick and pop, hedge/recover, etc. That requires a certain level of athleticism. I hate to be negative on Davis. He seems like a great kid and a kid that values playing for IU, but the game has passed his body type by. Maybe he could work in a system like Syracuse where they play zone and it would be more difficult to expose him on defense?

I’m not trying to be the big Evan Fitzner backer, I’ve never even seen him play as far as I know, but not sure why you’re comparing him to April/Priller/Gelon? The guy was offered by Cal, Colorado, Oregon St., USC and others coming out of high school, and in three years as a 6’9” guy has shot over 40% from 3 in over 300 attempts for a really good mid-major program.

Assuming Morgan comes back, the goal is to surround Morgan, Langford, Smith, Green, etc. with pieces that fit, not necessarily just to fill the last scholly with the most talented guy. I have no idea, I've never seen this kid play, but IMO a 6'10" guy that shoots over 40% from deep is a great piece to help spread the floor offensively for the aforementioned guys, and if he can cover defensive rotations and defend the block a bit, then Fitzner seems like he could be a really great fit. This could be a really underrated signing if it happens. At this point it's all about fit and role.